Keratitis News

THURSDAY, Aug. 17, 2017 – About 6 out of 7 U.S. teens with contact lenses use them improperly, upping their odds for serious eye infections, government health officials say. Surveying 12- to 17-year-old contact-lens wearers last year, researchers found 85 percent admit to at least one risky habit that could threaten their vision. These include sleeping, napping or swimming with their contacts in; reusing solution; rinsing lenses in tap water; or not replacing lenses and storage cases as recommended, according to a new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. About 3.6 million adolescents in the United States wear contact lenses, the CDC said. Outbreaks of serious eye infections are rare in this country. But they occur most often in people who don't take proper care of their contacts. Of teens under 18 who wear contacts, an estimated 3 million weren't completely following ... Read more

WEDNESDAY, July 5, 2017 – Soft contact lenses are as safe for children and teens as they are for adults, a new review finds. "In the past decade, there has been increasing interest in fitting children with contact lenses," said review author Mark Bullimore, an adjunct professor at the University of Houston College of Optometry. He reviewed nine studies that included 7- to 19-year-olds who use soft contact lenses, to gauge the risk of corneal inflammation and infection. Called "corneal infiltrative events," these are usually mild, but about 5 percent involve a serious infection called microbial keratitis. Bullimore found a relatively low rate of these corneal infiltrative events among youths, with one large study finding the rate of events in younger children (8 to 12) much lower than in teens aged 13 to 17. The review also found that microbial keratitis was uncommon, with one study ... Read more

-- Some jobs pose a heightened risk of eye injury, especially if the job involves machinery or chemicals. The American Optometric Association recommends: Familiarizing yourself with workplace dangers that could threaten your eye safety. Using devices such as work screens or machine guards at work. Wearing appropriate protective gear for your eyes. Making sure eye protection is in good condition, replacing any that's damaged. Read more

THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2016 – Unsafe use of contact lenses – such as sleeping with them in place or using the same pair for too long – is triggering serious eye injuries for many Americans, a new report finds. In fact, eye damage occurred in nearly 20 percent of contact lens-related eye infections reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over 10 years, researchers say. "Improper wear and care of contact lenses can cause eye infections that sometimes lead to serious, long-term damage," Michael Beach, who directs the Healthy Water Program at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an agency news release. One eye specialist believes many Americans don't take contact lens hygiene seriously enough. "There is a serious health crisis with contact lens-related eye injuries," said Dr. Mark Fromer, an ophthalmologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. ... Read more

WEDNESDAY, July 13, 2016 – Routine eye checkups often pick up unnoticed problems, particularly in older adults, a new study says. "In asymptomatic patients, comprehensive routine optometric eye examinations detect a significant number of new eye conditions and/or results in management changes," said the study's author, Elizabeth Irving, and her colleagues from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. More than half of people with no new symptoms or vision problems receive new prescriptions or treatment changes as a result of routine eye exams, the researchers found. The need for vision prescription changes was found for two out of five people, the study noted. Meanwhile, 16 percent were diagnosed with a new eye condition and 31 percent had a change in their ongoing care, researchers found. The study included data on nearly 6,400 patients who visited a university eye clinic over ... Read more

TUESDAY, March 22, 2016 – Contact lenses may alter the natural bacterial environment of your eyes, new research suggests. A small study found that the eye surface of contact lens wearers tends to harbor bacteria normally found on the skin surrounding the eye. Whether this is caused by finger-to-lens interaction or the actual act of wearing contacts remains unclear. But the findings raise questions as to whether this shift in microbial composition might boost the risk for eye infections, the study authors said. "Wearing contact lenses is known to increase the risk of microbial keratitis and other inflammatory eye conditions," said study lead author Maria Dominguez-Bello. She is an associate professor with the Human Microbiome Program at New York University School of Medicine, in New York City. Keratitis is a painful and potentially serious inflammation of the cornea. More than 30 ... Read more

TUESDAY, March 15, 2016 – If you use contact lens solution with hydrogen peroxide and don't follow the instructions carefully, you could be putting your eyes at risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. Hydrogen peroxide contact lens solutions do not contain preservatives. While this makes them a good choice for people who are allergic or sensitive to preservatives, these solutions still pose risks. Before using a solution with hydrogen peroxide, read all instructions and warning labels, the FDA advises. "You should never put hydrogen peroxide directly into your eyes or on your contact lenses," Dr. Bernard Lepri, an optometrist in the FDA's Contact Lens and Retinal Devices Branch, said in an agency news release. Doing so can cause stinging, burning and damage to your cornea, the clear surface that covers the eye. When using a solution with hydrogen peroxide, it's crucial to ... Read more

-- You may be wary about applying those new eyedrops prescribed by your doctor. The Cleveland Clinic recommends: Use warm water and soap to wash your hands, then dry with a clean towel. Either grab a mirror or lie down before applying the medicine. Look up at the ceiling, then use one hand to pull down the lower eyelid. Hold the medicine in your other hand, resting on your forehead if needed. Without letting the tip of the bottle or tube touch the eye, gently place the medicine inside your lower eyelid. Then close your eye. If you are taking both an ointment and an eye drop, put the eye drop in first. Wait about five minutes before applying the ointment. Read more

MONDAY, Jan. 25, 2016 – The vaccine for chickenpox and shingles has been linked to inflammation of the eye's cornea, but the number of such cases is small, a new study says. "Keratitis, or inflammation of the clear layer on the front of the eye, is a vision issue that can cause serious complications or even permanent damage to your vision if left untreated," Dr. Frederick Fraunfelder, chair of the ophthalmology department and director of the University of Missouri Eye Institute, said in a university news release. Researchers found 20 cases of keratitis in children and adults that occurred within a month of receiving a chickenpox or shingles vaccine. Symptoms of the disorder developed within 24 days of vaccination among adults. In children, symptoms began within 14 days of vaccination, the researchers said. The researchers said there is a probable relationship between the vaccine and ... Read more

-- A corneal abrasion is the medical term for a scratch on the eye's cornea. The American Academy of Family Physicians says there are steps you can take to protect your eyes from this injury: Wear a pair of protective goggles any time you are near machinery that could send particles into the air. Trim your fingernails short. Keep low-hanging tree branches trimmed. Take care when cleaning, installing and removing contact lenses. Read more

TAMPA, FL, September 16, 2009 – Sirion Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held ophthalmic-focused biopharmaceutical company, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its New Drug Application for Zirgan (ganciclovir ophthalmic gel) 0.15% as a treatment for acute herpetic keratitis (dendritic ulcers). The FDA granted orphan drug designation to Zirgan for this indication in April 2007. Herpetic keratitis, an ocular disease caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), is a significant cause of corneal blindness and a leading indication for corneal transplantation in the US, with approximately 50,000 new and recurrent cases each year. After the initial outbreak, HSV becomes a latent infection in the trigeminal ganglion or cornea, with repeated recurrences that frequently lead to corneal scarring and ocular inflammation, increasing the risk of blindness. The FDA a ... Read more